After 86 years of bringing joy to families in San Francisco, the city's venerable toy emporium, Jeffrey's Toys, is preparing to shut its doors permanently. Swept up in the current of declining sales, and crime in and around its location, the iconic retailer, which once inspired the beloved Pixar film "Toy Story," has succumbed to the relentless pressures bearing down on brick-and-mortar stores in the digital era. A somber clearance sale with 30% off full-priced items marks the final chapter for this family-run business, as announced in a Facebook post and by the store's lawyer, Ken Sterling.
Having to stay afloat amidst the challenges posed by a pandemic-ravaged retail landscape has proven to be an uphill battle for Jeffrey's Toys. "After 75 years of gratefully serving the San Francisco community, the store will be closing next month. The store has been struggling for a number of years, due to the perils and violence of the downtown environment, inflation, the decrease in consumer spending and the demise of retail across the world. The family is saddened it has come to this and we’ve explored all other options to try and keep the business going," said Ken Sterling in a statement obtained by KTVU. These factors, coupled with dwindling foot traffic and soaring rent costs, have inevitably led to the decision to permanently close.
Jeffrey’s Toys, which proudly opened in 1938 and expanded to four stores in San Francisco by 1966, is now down to its last stand at 45 Kearny St. The once thriving shop was the final remnant of a chain that boasted seven locations at the apex of its success. However, criminal activity in the city, including a harrowing incident where an employee was nearly stabbed, has notably contributed to the decline in safety and consumer confidence. According to a report by the San Francisco Chronicle, co-owner Matthew Luhn relayed how crime and a high rent of $20,000 per month undercut their ability to maintain their business, leading to this sorrowful outcome.
The closure of Jeffrey’s Toys draws parallels with a worrisome trend in the Union Square area, where a cluster of other retailers like Uniqlo, Gap, and Nordstrom have also shuttered in recent years. Disney and Lego stores have likewise turned off their lights, casting long shadows over the future of retail in this historically vibrant district of San Francisco. As the city's oldest toy store prepares to silently fall into the annals of history, the Downtown Association and city leadership face an urgent call to address and revitalize a once-lively downtown that now grapples to retain its splendor, as articulated by Sterling Venture Law's Ken Sterling. Acknowledging the dire situation, Sterling advised his clients, the Luhn family, against further press interviews while navigating complex dealings with landlords and creditors, as reported by the San Francisco Business Times.
